Charles Fain Lehman and Kevin A. Sabet’s April 21 op-ed, “‘Safe drug sites’ don’t work. The data proves it.,” asserted that a “large body of research” has found no effect of these sites on overdose risk. As public health researchers whose studies evaluating supervised consumption facilities were reviewed in the op-ed, we disagree. For example, unmentioned is one study that tracked nearly 1,000 of Vancouver’s highest-risk drug users for more than 10 years and found that frequent users of the city’s main supervised consumption facility had an approximately 50 percent lower risk of death after accounting for differences in age, gender and drug use patterns. Also unmentioned is the study estimating the combined impact of these facilities, free access to medications to reverse overdoses, and opioid dependence treatment, which found that more than 3,000 overdose deaths were averted in the first year of our current overdose crisis. The authors also did not acknowledge data from Toronto showing that, over a two-year period, neighborhoods with supervised consumption facilities experienced a lower rate of overdose deaths over time.
- Public rejects Trump’s ballroom by wide marginDan DiamondandScott ClementApril 30, 2026
- Brain scans reveal 3 ADHD subtypes, including a more extreme formAriana Eunjung ChaApril 30, 2026
- The invisible force making food less nutritiousNaema AhmedandSarah KaplanApril 30, 2026
- Trump drops embattled surgeon general pick Casey Means, announces new nomineeLauren Weber,Rachel RoubeinandDan Diamond22 minutes ago
- Maine Gov. Janet Mills drops out of race to unseat Republican Sen. Susan CollinsLiz GoodwinApril 30, 2026
- Louisiana governor prepares to suspend House primaries after court rulingDan MericaandPatrick MarleyApril 30, 2026
- Dan DiamondandScott ClementPublic rejects Trump’s ballroom by wide marginToday at 6:00 a.m. EDT
- Liz GoodwinMaine Gov. Janet Mills drops out of race to unseat Republican Sen. Susan CollinsToday at 10:01 a.m. EDT
- Dan MericaandPatrick MarleyLouisiana governor prepares to suspend House primaries after court rulingToday at 10:18 a.m. EDT
- Ariana Eunjung ChaBrain scans reveal 3 ADHD subtypes, including a more extreme formToday at 6:00 a.m. EDT
- Naema AhmedandSarah KaplanThe invisible force making food less nutritiousToday at 5:00 a.m. EDT
- 1Dan DiamondandScott ClementPublic rejects Trump’s ballroom by wide margin
- 2Ariana Eunjung ChaBrain scans reveal 3 ADHD subtypes, including a more extreme form
- 3Naema AhmedandSarah KaplanThe invisible force making food less nutritious
- 4Lauren Weber,Rachel RoubeinandDan DiamondTrump drops embattled surgeon general pick Casey Means, announces new nominee
- 5Liz GoodwinMaine Gov. Janet Mills drops out of race to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins
NewsletterSundays
The Week in Ideas
Thought-provoking opinions you may have missed amid the news of the week.